Judy Goldblatt

The above links to a column by Scott Herhold, a columnist for the Mercury News newspaper serving Silcon Valley, California, regarding the tragic death of Judy Goldblatt of Indianapolis. She was killed April 15 in Palo Alto when the rental car she was driving got caught (stalled?) on train tracks; a Caltrain bearing down at 80 mph struck her Nissan.

Judith, who would have been 66 this June, was an amazing woman -- words not to be used lightly or liberally.

Although liberal she was, in the truest sense. She was inclusive, generous, tolerant and she had the toughness of courage of her convictions. According to her obituary, which ran in the Indianapolis Star Sunday, she was a dedicated volunteer for Crossroads Rehabiltation, Hadassah, the Democrat Party and the Indiana University School of Dentistry, where her husband Dr. Lawrence Goldblatt was dean.

But most of all, she will be remembered by me and scores others for her tireless work on the presidential campaign of Barack Obama. She was a true believer, and her belief knew no bounds, literally. Hence she could be found signing up voters in Broad Ripple (where I first met her, with her freind and fellow activist John Lilienkamp) or Washington Township, where she lived, or in the inner city. She worked vigorously to register voters at the corner of 29th and Dr. MLK where the Double 8 Market is located. That's where she and other Dems would camp. She was delighted to get to know my friend Andre Lee, a young black man from Carmel, who joined her and John in a small way to also help Indiana elect Obama.

I met her for the first time in Broad Ripple, on the campaign trail in the summer of 2008, and I saw her in action a few weeks later in the ghetto, where she knew no strangers. She always remembered my name, as she did the names of others -- a tribute to her concern for other people and her remarkable mind.

Not surprisingly, she also committed herself to a lifetime study of Judaism as well as improving Jewish-Christian relationships.

Her obit in the Star says, "Above all she was a champion of the underserved and underrepresented."

In my book, she was without peer, and she will be sorely missed.

Here is info about the service for her this Thursday from the Star:

A memorial service will be held at Congregation Beth El Zedeck in Indianapolis Thursday morning, April 28, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations in Judy's memory to any of the organizations to which she devoted her life. Local arrangements are entrusted to Aaron-Ruben-Nelson Mortuary. To share a message of condolence for the family please visit: www.arnmortuary.com